Valve construction for automatic hot-water heaters



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VALVE 'CONSTRUCTION FOR AUTOMATIC HOT WATER HEATERS Filed Nov. 15. 1926 l N VEN TOR.

RNEY.

Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH W. B'UCKLEY, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

VALVE CONSTRUCTION FOR AUTOMATIC HOT-WATER HEATRS.

Application filed November 15, 1926. Serial No. 148,415.

This invention relates to improvements in valves for use on automatic hot-water heaters. In one standard form of hot-water heater a gas valve operating to admit gas to the heater is controlled by the movement of a plunger which is liniiuenced by the flow of water through the house-supply system under the action oi the usual faucets. 1V hen a faucet is opened the equilibrium of the plunger is disturbed and the gas valve operated. It is the object of this invention to improve valves of this general character in several respects. Among other specific objects is the production of a valve ot this character which will be very simple in opera-v tion and cheap in construction. A further object is to produce a valve in which moving packings will be eliminated. A 'further object is to construct a valve in which danger ot plugging of the valve due to particles oi'i grit being caughtin the moving part is substantially eliminated. A further object is to produce a valve which will be substantially self-flushing. I

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a View, largely in median section, showing Vboth the improved Aoperating mechanism and a conventionalv gas valve;

F ig. 2 is a sectional detail substantially the same as the upper portion of Fig. 1, but showing t-he parts in av different operative position; f Y l Fig. 3 is a top-plan view oi a piston; and

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section through the piston shown in Fig. 3.

The valve in the present case is mounted in two casings 10 and 11, the former containing those operating parts controlled by the flow of water, and the latter containing the gas valve. The two casings are connected by a yoke 12, being secured in place by lock nuts 13 threaded onto an extension 14 oi the casing. Into the upper casing 10 is threaded as at 16 a cap 15 having a hexagonal boss for the application of a wrench. The cap is provided with a packing 18 which insures a water tight joint between it and the body of the casing. The cap is likewise fitted with an abutment 19 for a purpose to be described. The casing 10 has a. cylindrical bore 2O merging into an enlargedportion 21 near the bottom ot' the casing.

lVithin the cylindrical bore 20 a piston 22 l slides, this piston being composed ot' upper and lower portions 23 and 24 respectively, connected by a neck of reduced circumference 25. By this construction a central annular recess is formed in the piston. Holes 26 extend through the upper'portion 23 into this annular recess. vThe piston 22 is made suiiicientlysmaller than the bore 2() so that a very slight leakage will result when the wateris not fiowing. By this means the pressureis equalized upon the two sides of the piston and a'condition of equilibrium in the various parts results. The bottom of the piston is formed withl a recess 27 into which projects the end of a rod 28 extending through the bottom of the casing 10. At the top of this rod is a collar 29 against which a spring 30 rests. The spring likewise abuts against the bottom of the enlargement 21 and normally holds the piston in the upper position of Fig. 1, in which its upper surface' rests against the abutment 19. AA packing 31 surrounds the rod 28 being held in posi# tion by a collar 32 and a screw cap 33, thereby forming a stuliing-box which prevents any leakage of water past the rod. The casing 10 is provided with an inlet 34 and outlet 35.

The lower casing 11 is formed with upper and lower chambers 36 and 37 respectively separated by a web 40. The chambers are joined by a hole 41 through the web in which slides a plunger 42. disk 44 carrying a packing 45 is secured to the bottom of the plunger 42 by a screw 46, the packing press-v Y ing against ribs 47 on the web 40 to form a gas tight seal. The lower chamber is closed all by a cap 49 carrying` a hexagonal boss 48 and provided with an abutment 49 which sup ports the lower end of aspring 50. The upper end of this spring encircles the head of the screw 46. Sliding in the upper end of the casing 11 and pressing at its lower against the plunger 42 is a rodk 53. A stuling-box 54 constructed like the one previously described and therefore not more fully detailed here serves to prevent leakage of gas around the rod 53. AAn'adjusting rod 55 is threaded into the upper end of the rod 53 and is held in place b a lock-nut 56.

Assuming the faucets in the water supply to be closed the parts of the valve Will remain in equilibrium in the position shown in Fig. 1. As stated above the iit of' the piston 22 within the cylindrical bore 20 is sutficiently loose to permit a slight flow of water between them in order to equalize the condition of pressure. In this position also the spring 50 will hold the packing 45 against the rib 47, thus preventing gas from the inlet 38 reaching the outlet 39. lt now a 'faucet in the water supply system be opened the pressure in the enlargement 2l is reduced and the plunger 20 will descend. As it descends the rod 255 is torced into contact with the adjusting rod and the gas valve is opened by the downward descent of rods 53 and packing lof As the faucet is left open a constant flow ot water takes place between the inlet 3d and the outlet This llow occurs during the continued operation of the device withthe parts in the position of Fig. 2. By reference to that figure it appearsr that a passage ot considerable area'is opened between the bore 20 and the enlargement 2l by means of the holes 26 and the recess 27. rlhe downward force of the flowing water, however, is sullicient to keep the piston in its lower position. Even it the torce of the flowing water is insullicient tor this a similar result would be secured iinmediately the piston started to ascend as the flow of water would be shut oil" by the lower portion 24 olithe piston comingl into the cylindrical bore The lower port-ion 2l not being provided with holes, 'this would completely shut olii' the llow ol' water, but the faucet in the outlet pipe being open, the pressure of the 'atei' from above would at once reopen the valve. The constant tlow of 'water through the holes 26 and into the annular recess between the paths ot the piston completely llushes out any particles oit dirt or grit which might otherwise tend to accumulate, and insures that there will be no sticking of the piston when the faucet is closed and the piston again tends to rise under the action of the spring 3l).

Having thus described my invention.Y I claim:

l. A water valve for instantaneous water heaters comprising a chamber having a main portion and an enlarged end portion, an inlet opening into the main portion and an outlet opening out of the enlarged portion, a

piston sliding in the main portion, connections operable to open a gas valve when the piston is projected into the enlarged portion of the chamber, said piston having an annular recess intermediate of its length and vents leading into said recess from the end ot the piston remote from the enlarged portion of the chamber, whereby the water ilow will be through the vents and the recess into the enlarged portion ot the chamber. y

2. A water valve for instantaneous water heaters comprising a chamber having a main portion and an enlarged end portion, an inlet opening into the main portion and an outlet opening out of the enlarged portion, an operatively integral piston having an intermediate annular recess and vents openingv being enlarged to provide a water clearance between the pist-on and the wall or' 'the chamber, said piston having a circular recess between its upperI and lower ends and a series ot openings through its upper end maintaining anormally open connection between said recess and the upper portion olI the chamber, a spring in the lower end ot' the chamber tor holding the piston toward the inlet, means for limiting the movement oil the piston toward the inlet` and a rod having engagement at its upper end with the piston and extending through the lower end ot the casing for operating the gas valve.

JOSEPH lV. BUCKLEY. 

